Prepare Your Lawn for Spring

It’s never too early to start preparing your lawn for summer. As the days begin to get warmer dedicating a few spring hours to your lawn, will help produce that beautiful lush grass you will love all summer. Adding that little extra pizzazz to your home, a healthy summer lawn begins with spring maintence.

Start Early

Even if it still feels a little chilly, it’s never too early to begin your lawn work. Cold winter temperatures require you give a little extra love at the beginning of spring. Be aware winter can also alter the pH of soil, encouraging weed growth. Check your soils pH level (aiming for a neutral 7) and balance as needed. Early weeding, fertilizing and mowing will also help produce that beautiful lush green lawn.

Know Your Soil

The first key to a beautiful lawn is determining the type of soil you have and how to best work with it. Simply grab a handful and determine if it is tightly packed, holds its shape or runs through your fingers.

Claylike Soil is sticky and does not break. This causes trouble for plants trying to establish roots.

Sandy Soil runs through your fingers, unfortunately water will also slips through quickly, preventing roots from absorbing essential nutrients.

Loam Soil holds shape until crumbled. This is ideal for plants as roots can push through the soil, while still being thick enough to hold water and nutrients. Don’t get discouraged if you find you have claylike or sandy soil. Adding compost will help you create a more loamy texture. Adding grass and plant clippings through the season will also keep your soil loamy.

Keeping it Lush

Choose a lawn seed that compliments the sunlight your grass receives and do not be afraid to re-seed throughout the season if you notice rough patches. Be diligent with weeding to prevent grass from competing with weeds for water and nutrition. Cutting grass when it reaches 4 inches will prevent stress on your lawn. If you find grass loss in high traffic areas, simply poking through dense soil will help to regenerate grass. In terms of nutrition, always water lawns early in the morning to prevent heat evaporation or frying and use a time release fertilizer to ensure nutrient absorption all summer.

Most importantly, remember to take time and kick your shoes off to enjoy the wonderful benefits of your lush green healthy lawn.